Handwheel for sewing machines



Dec. 28, 1965 F. G. CRETER HANDWHEEL FOR SEWING MACHINES Filed Dec. 10, 1962 INVENTOR.

Frederick G. Crefer BY W aw.)

TORNEY WITNESS 45122-9722: Q2

United States Patent 3,225,624 HAIQDWHEEL FGR SEWHNG MACHWES Frederick G. Crater, Briclrtown, NJ assiguor to The Singer Company, a corporation of New Jersey Filed Dec. 10, 1962, Ser. No. 243,529 3 Claims. (Cl. 74-573) This invention relates to sewing machines and more particularly to handwheels therefor which are adapted to be manipulated by the hand of the operator during starting and stopping of the sewing machine to effect the desired relationship between the stitch forming instrumentalities.

One of the primary objects of the present invention is to provide an improved handwheel suitable for use with family type sewing machines.

Another object of the invention is to provide an improved handwheel, most parts of which are made of plastic.

A further object of the invention is to provide an improved handwheel which incorporates a counterweight designed to aid in the counterbalancing of the sewing machine.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a sewing machine handwheel of which the major portion is made of a lightweight plastic and a lesser portion of which is made of a heavy material suitable for counterbalancing.

With the above and other objects in view, as will hereinafter appear, the invention comprises the devices, combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter set forth and illustrated in the accompanying drawings of a preferred embodiment of the invention, from which the several features of the invention and the advantages attained thereby, will be readily understood by those skilled in the art.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through a portion of a family type sewing machine equipped with a handwheel embodying the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially on the line 22 of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing parts of the mechanism illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A sewing machine 15, portions of which are illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, includes a bracket arm 16 having a bearing 17 for supporting an arm shaft 18 driven by an electric motor 19 through a driving worm 21 which meshes with a non-metallic driven Worm gear 22. The gear 22 is turnably supported on a bearing surface 23 formed as part of a retainer sleeve 24 held to the shaft 18 by a set screw 26. The gear 22 is formed with a small axially extending hole 27 designed to accommodate one end 28 of a helically wound cushion spring 29. The other end 31 of the spring 29 enters an axially extending hole 36 provided in a radially extending rib 37 formed integral with the plastic portion of a handwheel 41 which forms the subject of this invention. The rib 37 and other radial ribs 42, connect a radially and axially apertured internal cylindrical hub 48 with an intermediate cylindrical hub 49. The intermediate hub 49 is connected to an outer slightly frusto-conical rim 52 by means of a plurality of radial ribs 53. The end of the handwheel 4-1 is closed by a circular plate 64 which has a circular out facing recess 6d. The hub 48 and the hub 49 are formed respectively with radially extending and registering apertures 63 and 67 designed to receive an increased diameter body portion 71 of a metallic stud screw 72. The screw 72, which in addition to other functions secures the handwheel 41 to the shaft 18, has a reduced diameter externally threaded end 73 which enters into a threaded hole 74 formed in the arm shaft 18. In addition to the parts named, the screw 72 has a screw driver receiving slotted head 76, and the screw 72 is locked in place by a substantially channel shaped spring washer 77. The screw 72 is preferably made from steel and thus the increased diameter body portion 71 has considerable weight, which weight acts as a counterweight to assist in balancing the machine.

The mechanism herein shown functions in the following manner. When the sewing machine is in operation, the motor 19 drives the worm 21 which in turn drives the non-metallic worm gear 22. Rapid acceleration of the gear 22 by the motor 19 causes the gear 22 to turn a few degrees on the sleeve 24. This causes the cushion spring 29 to be tensioned sufficiently to drive the handwheel 41 and thus to drive the shaft 18. As the handwheel 41 and shaft 18 rotate at speed, the heavy metallic stud screw 72 acts to assist in counterbalancing the machine, it being understood that the threaded hole 74 is placed at the correct radial location on the shaft 18 so that the weight of the stud screw 72 will properly effect the counterbalancing.

From the foregoing it will be understood that I have perfected from lightweight material, such as plastic, alumi num or the like, a handwheel having a skeletonized body formed with an external rim and an internal hub bored to receive a shaft, the handwheel being adapted to be secured to a shaft by means of a set screw made of a heavy material and sized so that it has material mass to act as a counterbalance for the shaft.

Having thus disclosed the nature of my invention, what I claim herein is:

1. A handwheel for use with family type sewing machines, said handwheel comprising a first radially and axially apertured plastic hub, the axial aperture of said hub being adapted to receive an arm shaft of the sewing machine, a second radially apertured plastic hub, said second hub being concentrically located with respect to said first plastic hub, spoke like radial plastic ribs connecting the external surface of said first plastic hub with the internal surface of said second plastic hub, a counterbalancing metallic stud located in the radial apertures of said first and second hubs and adapted to secure said handwheel to the arm shaft of said sewing machine, and a plastic rim carried by said second hub.

2. A handwheel for use with family type sewing machines, said handwheel comprising a first radially and axially apertured hub, the axial aperture of said hub being adapted to receive an arm shaft of the sewing machine, a second radially apertured hub, said second hub being concentrically located with respect to said first hub, spoke like radial ribs connecting the external surface of said first hub and the internal surface of said second hub, a counterbalancing stud screw located in the radial apertures of said first and second hubs and said stud adapted to secure said two hubs to the arm shaft, a plurality of spoke like ribs extending radially from the external surface of said second hub, and a frusto-conical rim carried by the outer ends of said last named ribs.

3. A sewing machine handwheel composed of lightweight material and comprising a skeletonized body portion formed with an external rim portion and an internal hub portion, said hub portion being formed with a shaftreceiving aperture, and a handwheel fastening screW adapted to secure said handwheel to a shaft, said fastening screw being made of a material heavier than that of said handwheel and having a relatively large diameter thus to give mass to said screw whereby it can function as a counterbalance.

(References on following page) References Cited by the Examiner 2,699,656 1/ 1955 Anderson et a1.

Hacklander f; g E-32? BROUGHTON G. DURHAM, Primary Examiner. eets 2,282,071 5/1943 Marsac et a1 74 572 5 DAVID WILLIAMOWSKY Exammer- 2,311,999 2/1943 Purvis 74-573 R. V. SLOAN, W. S. RATLIFF, Assistant Examiners. 

1. A HANDWHEEL FOR USE WITH FAMILY TYPE SEWING MACHINES, SIAD HANDWHEEL COMPRISING A FIRST RADIALLY AND AXIALLY APERTURED PLASTIC HUB, THE AXIAL APERTURE OF SAID HUB BEING ADAPTED TO RECEIVE AN ARM SHAFT OF THE SEWING MACHINE, A SECOND RADIALLY APERTURED PLASTIC HUB, SAID SECOND HUB BEING CONCENTRICALLY LOCATED WITH RESPECT TO SAID FIRST PLASTIC HUB, SPOKE LIKE RADIAL PLASTIC RIBS CONNECTING THE EXTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID FIRST PLASTIC HUB WITH THE INTERNAL SURFACE OF SAID SECOND PLASTIC HUB, A COUNTERBALANCING METALLIC STUD LOCATED IN THE RADIAL APERTURES OF SAID FIRST AND SECOND HUBS AND ADAPTED TO SECURE SAID HANDWHEEL TO THE ARM SHAFT OF SAID SEWING MACHINE, AND A PLASTIC RIM CARRIED BY SAID SECOND HUB. 